A man previously convicted of sex offenses has been sentenced to over 15 years in prison for distributing child pornography. Nicholas Tyler Banks, aged 24 from Burnsville, North Carolina, was sentenced to 188 months following his role as the administrator of an online chatroom dedicated to sharing child sexual abuse material (CSAM). This was announced by Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Banks will also serve a lifetime of supervised release and is required to register as a sex offender. He has been ordered to pay $26,000 in restitution.
The investigation began in September 2023 when a Boone Police Department detective conducted an undercover operation targeting online sexual exploitation of children. The investigation revealed that Banks used a chat application to distribute images and videos depicting child sexual abuse within a dedicated chatroom. These files were accessible for users to view, download, and further share.
In January 2024, authorities executed a search warrant at Banks's residence where several electronic devices were seized. Forensic examination revealed possession of more than 47,700 CSAM images. Despite the search warrant execution, Banks continued collecting and distributing additional CSAM.
Banks had a prior conviction for Sexual Exploitation of a Minor in Sullivan County, Tennessee, making him a registered sex offender. On January 27, 2025, he pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography with a qualifying prior conviction. Currently in federal custody, he awaits transfer to the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
U.S. Attorney Ferguson praised the Boone Police Department for their work on this case. Assistant United States Attorney Alexis Solheim prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood—a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 aimed at combating child sexual exploitation and abuse by coordinating resources across federal, state, and local levels.
For further details on Project Safe Childhood visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
